HKB H Fulfills All of the Torah s Mitzvos Spiritually He Gave the Torah to Yisrael to Act as His Agents to Perform Them in Actuality

Rabbi Pinches Friedman Chag HaShavuos 5774 Translation by Dr. Baruch Fox Moshe Rabeinu s Profound Response to the Ministering Angels HKB H Fulfills All of the Torah s Mitzvos Spiritually He Gave the Torah to Yisrael to Act as His Agents to Perform Them in Actuality In honor of Shavuos, which approaches auspiciously, let us examine a subject pertaining to zman matan torateinu the events surrounding the giving of the Torah. Our blessed sages teach us that when Moshe Rabeinu ascended to the heavens to receive the Torah on behalf of Yisrael, a vehement argument ensued with the ministering angels. The malachim argued: לילוד אשה בינינו מה what is a mere mortal doing up here amongst us? It is more appropriate to give us the Torah rather than to a lowly creature of flesh and blood. In the midst of this heated confrontation, HKB H instructed Moshe to respond to the malachim; however, Moshe feared that they would incinerate him with the vapors emitted from their אחוז saying: mouths. Finally, HKB H promised to protect him by HaKavod grab hold of My Kisei בכסא כבודי וחזור להן תשובה and supply them with an answer. Here is the dialogue that ensued between Moshe Rabeinu and the malachei hashareit as depicted by the Gemara (Shabbas 88b): אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי, בשעה שעלה משה למרום, אמרו מלאכי השרת לפני הקב ה, רבונו של עולם מה לילוד אשה בינינו, אמר להן לקבל תורה בא. אמרו לפניו חמודה גנוזה שגנוזה לך תשע מאות ושבעים וארבעה דורות קודם שנברא העולם אתה מבקש ליתנה לבשר ודם, )תהלים ח-ה( מה אנוש כי תזכרנו ובן אדם כי תפקדנו, )שם ב( ה אדונינו מה אדיר שמך בכל הארץ, אשר תנה הודך על השמים. אמר לו הקב ה למשה החזיר להן תשובה, אמר לפניו רבונו של עולם מתיירא אני שמא ישרפוני בהבל שבפיהם, אמר לו אחוז בכסא כבודי וחזור להן תשובה... אמר לפניו, רבונו של עולם תורה שאתה נותן לי מה כתיב בה )שמות כ-ב(, אנכי ה אלקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים, אמר להן למצרים ירדתם, לפרעה השתעבדתם, תורה למה תהא לכם... שוב מה כתיב בה )שם יג(, לא תרצח, לא תנאף, לא תגנוב, קנאה יש ביניכם, יצר הרע יש ביניכם. מיד הודו לו להקב ה, שנאמר )תהלים ח-י( ה אדונינו מה אדיר שמך בכל הארץ, ואילו תנה הודך על השמים לא כתיב. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moshe ascended to the heights, the ministering angels said before HKB H: Master of the Universe! What is someone born of a woman doing amongst us? He replied: He has come to receive the Torah. They said before Him: The coveted treasure that was stored by You for nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the world was created! You intend to give it to flesh and blood?! (Tehillim 8, 5) What is a mortal that You should remember him or the son of man that You should recall him? (ibid. 2) Hashem, our Lord, how grand is Your name in all the earth that You bestow Your glory upon the heavens. HKB H said to Moshe: Give them an answer. Moshe said before Him: Master of the Universe, I fear lest they burn me with the breath in their mouths. HKB H said to him: Take hold of the My Kisei HaKavod and answer them... Moshe said before Him: Master of the Universe, what is written in the Torah that You are giving me? (Shemos 20, 2) I am Hashem, your G-d, who took you out of Eretz Mitzrayim. Addressing the malachim, he said, Did you descend to Mitzrayim? Were you enslaved by Pharaoh? Why should you have the Torah?... What else is written in it? (Shemos 20, 13) You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal. Addressing the malachim, he said: Is there envy among you? Is there a yetzer hara among you? Immediately, they conceded to HKB H, as it is said (Tehillim 8, 10): Hashem, our Master, how grand is Your name throughout the land. Now, it is not written: bestow Your glory upon the heavens. The Malachim Wished to Receive the Torah in Its Heavenly Format Now, the malachim requested: Bestow Your glory upon the heavens insinuating that it would be more appropriate to give them the Torah. According to the Maharsha (Chiddushei Aggados, Shabbas) and the Chasam Sofer (Toras Moshe, Yitro), the malachim never intended to receive the Torah in the format revealed to us. For, they were well aware that the performance of Mitzvos utilizing physical props and implements found in this world was not relevant to them. Chag HaShavuos 5774 1

Instead, they yearned to receive the Torah in a more mystical and spiritual form with the combinations of letters as they חמדה גנוזה as: appear above. Hence, they referred to the Torah a coveted treasure. They were referring to the spiritual, hidden form of the Torah stored in the heavenly realms. This prompted their claim: Bestow Your glory upon the heavens. As spiritual creatures, they are better suited to fathom the meanings of this mystical form of the Torah the splendor and glory of the Torah. We find this wonderful idea presented in greater detail by the Maggid of Dubno, zy a, in Ohel Yaakov (Yitro). When Moshe ascended to the heavens, the Torah did not yet exist in the simple format which was presented to Yisrael down on earth at the time of Matan Torah. Consequently, seeing the Torah in its heavenly, spiritual configuration, the malachim queried: What is the offspring of a woman doing amongst us? Seemingly, it would be preferable to give this spiritual configuration of the Torah to the heavenly malachim, who are spiritual creatures; it is not appropriate for human beings formed of flesh and blood: What is a mortal that You should remember him or the son of man that You should recall him? In this manner, he explains Moshe s rebuttal of the malachim s claim: Master of the Universe, what is written in the Torah that You are giving me? While it is true that the heavenly malachim are more capable of comprehending the heavenly configuration of the Torah, nevertheless that is not true regarding the Torah You are giving me to take down to earth. That Torah contains Mitzvos that can only be performed by human beings made of flesh and blood in Olam HaZeh. As such, the malachim s claim to the Torah is effectively null and void. Notwithstanding, it is clear that Moshe Rabeinu s response to the malachim deserves further explanation. After all, they were not requesting that the Torah be given to them in the earthly format we are familiar with in Olam HaZeh; they were requesting the Torah in its heavenly, spiritual configuration. Therefore, Moshe s reply that they are incapable of performing the Mitzvos in their physical manifestations in Olam HaZeh does not properly address their claim. For, their very claim was that it is not fitting that the Torah be presented in this earthly physical format relevant to Olam HaZeh; it is preferable that it remain in its spiritual configuration, as it appears in the heavenly realms. We Fulfill the Mitzvos as HKB H s Agents and It Is Considered as if He Fulfilled the Mitzvos Let us begin our quest by introducing an illuminating idea from the great and holy luminary, the Avnei Neizer, zy a, as presented by his son, the Shem MiShmuel (Vayikra 5676): על פי מה שהגיד כ ק אבי אדומו ר זצללה ה, שלכאורה יש לתמוה איך מעשה בשר ודם קרוץ מחומר יפעל בעולמות העליונים. אך התירוץ הוא שהאדם הוא שליח מהשי ת לקיים מצוותיו, ושליח לעולם יש בו כח המשלח, ומעשה השליח מתייחס להמשלח, על כן המצוות שהאדם עושה בשליחות השי ת, נחשב שהקב ה עצמו הוא העושה, ואם כן אין תימה מה שהמצוות פועלין בעולמות העליונים. It is difficult to comprehend how deeds performed by physical creatures of flesh and blood effect the heavenly realms. The answer is simple: Man is the Almighty s agent, charged to perform His Mitzvos; as such, he possesses the power and force of He who sent him; similarly, the actions of the agent are attributable to the sender; hence, all of the Mitzvos which a person performs as the Almighty s agent, are considered as if HKB H Himself performed them. Therefore, it is not surprising that they have effects in the heavenly realms. על פי מה שהגיד כ ק אבי :(5673 Elsewhere, he writes (Bamidbar אדומו ר זצללה ה, בטעם מה שמצות בשר ודם קרוץ מחומר פועלת בעולמות העליונים, Once again, he posits that שהוא מטעם שליח השי ת ושליח של אדם כמותו. the Mitzvos man performs have heavenly ramifications, because we are acting as the Almighty s agent; and it is a well-known principle that a person s agent is equivalent to the person himself. Thus, we learn a tremendous chiddush from the Avnei Neizer that we have not heard anywhere else. When we are performing any of the Mitzvos of the Torah, we must have in mind, with reverence and love, that we are doing so as agents of HKB H. When we fulfill the Mitzvos, it is as if HKB H Himself, so to speak, was fulfilling the Mitzvos. For, the Gemara states (Kiddushin 42b): a person s agent is considered to be like שלוחו של אדם כמותו himself. And although, HKB H, the King of Kings, is G-d and not לא איש אל ויכזב ובן 29): a person as it is written (Bamidbar 23, deceitful, G-d is not a man that He should be אדם ויתנחם nor a human being that He should relent -- nevertheless, the principle of של אדם כמותו שלוחו still applies. Does the Law of Agency Apply to HKB H? As a loyal servant, grasping onto his master s coattails, I would like to explore this idea of the Avnei Neizer s further. We know בר חיובא that the laws of agency only apply if the sender is a one who is also obligated to fulfill the particular mitzvah that he is sending his agent to perform. If, however, the sender is not שלוחו של אדם obligated to perform said mitzvah, the principle of apply. does not כמותו The source for this principle is found in the Gemara (Kiddushin הני כהני שלוחי דרחמנא נינהו, דאי סלקא דעתך שלוחי דידן נינהו, מי איכא :(23b Chag HaShavuos 5774 2

In other words, the kohanim מידי דאנן לא מצינן עבדינן ואינהו מצי עבדי performing the sacrificial services are acting as agents of HKB H. Seeing as we, non-kohanim, are not permitted to perform these korbanot-related services, we cannot appoint them as agents in our stead. Thus, we cannot conjecture that they are our agents. Now, HKB H, the Supreme King, is not obligated to fulfill the Mitzvos; for, who is in a position to compel Him to do so as the passuk states (Iyov 9, 12): יאמר לו מה תעשה מי and who would say to Him, What are you doing? So, how is it possible to suggest that HKB H gave us the Torah to perform the Mitzvos as His agents, and that it would be considered as if He Himself performed the Mitzvos in accordance with the law of agency shlichut? Seeing as the one sending the agents is HKB H, and He שלוחו של אדם is not obligated to perform Mitzvos, the principle of apply. does not כמותו In fact, this issue poses a difficulty for the Gemara in Kiddushin cited above, as well. They proved that the kohanim performing the sacrificial services are acting as agents of HKB H, because they cannot be acting as the agents of Yisrael. Yet, how can they even be acting as agents of HKB H? While HKB H could theoretically perform the avodah, nevertheless He is not a חיובא בר with regards to the korbanos. Therefore, it would seem that He does not qualify to appoint the kohanim to perform the avodah as His agent. How Did HKB H Fulfill the Mitzvos before They Were Given to Yisrael? I was struck by a wonderful idea in support of the Avnei Neizer s tremendous chiddush. We have learned in the Talmud Yerushalmi (R.H. 7b) that HKB H, so to speak, fulfills the Mitzvos of the Torah: בנוהג שבעולם מלך בשר ודם גוזר גזירה, רצה מקיימה אינו רוצה ]כך גרסת העין יעקב[ אחרים מקיימים אותה, אבל הקב ה אינו כן אלא גוזר גזירה ומקיימה תחילה, מאי טעמא )ויקרא כב-ט( ושמרו את משמרתי אני ה, אני הוא ששימרתי מצוותיה של תורה תחילה. אמר רבי סימון כתיב )ויקרא יט-לב( מפני שיבה תקום והדרת פני זקן ויראת מאלקיך אני ה, אני הוא שקיימתי עמידת זקן תחילה. This is in stark contrast to human kings; they are capricious; they may or may not comply with their own edicts. Not so HKB H; He observes His own edicts before requiring others to do so. As an example, the Yerushalmi states that HKB H observed the mitzvah of מפני שיבה תקום והדרת פני זקן -- rising in the presence of an elderly person and honoring an elderly person. The Pnei Moshe explains that we find this to be the case regarding Avraham וירא אליו 1): Avinu. For, it states in parshat Vayeirah (Bereishis 18, Hashem appeared to ה באלוני ממרא והוא יושב פתח האהל כחום היום him in Eilonei Mamrei, while he was sitting at the entrance to the tent in the heat of the day. ישב כתיב, בקש 7): (B.R. 48, Rashi explains based on the Midrash לעמוד, אמר לו הקב ה, שב ואני אעמוד, ואתה סימן לבניך שעתיד אני להתייצב בעדת the spelling הדיינים והן יושבין, שנאמר )תהלים פב-א( אלקים נצב בעדת אל of the word ישב without a vav teaches us that he wished to stand up, but HKB H said to him: Sit, and I will stand; you are a sign for your children; for I am destined to stand in the assembly of the judges, while they are seated as it says: G-d stands in the Divine assembly. The Bnei Yissaschar (Sivan 2, 4) comments on the significance of the formula of the berachah recited before the performance of a במצוותיו -- HKB H sanctifies us אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וצונו mitzvah: with the Mitzvos that He Himself fulfills. Here is an excerpt from והנה כביכול השי ת בעצמו שומר תורתו ומקיים מצוותיו, Yissaschar: the Bnei כמו שאנו מברכין על המצוות אשר קדשנו במצוותיו - מצוותיו דייקא, כביכול אשר הוא בעצמו מקיימם, וכענין שמצינו בדברי חז ל )ברכות ו.( מנין שהקב ה מניח תפילין, - The Almighty Himself observes His Torah מנין שהקב ה מתפלל. and fulfills His Mitzvos, as indicated by the berachah recited אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וצונו -- Mitzvos over the performance of the who sanctified us with His Mitzvos and commanded us. The formula specifies that they are His Mitzvos that He Himself, so to speak, fulfills. This coincides with the statement of Chazal (Berachos 6a): How do we know that HKB H puts on tefillin? How do we know that HKB H prays? In fact, it is worth examining the language of the Yerushalmi: I am the one that אני הוא ששימרתי מצוותיה של תורה תחילה originally observed the Mitzvos of the Torah. This statement implies that HKB H already fulfilled the Torah s Mitzvos, even before it was given to Yisrael. Where, in fact, do we find that HKB H fulfilled all the Mitzvos of the Torah? Additionally, how is it possible that HKB H actually fulfilled all of the Mitzvos, seeing as the vast majority of the Mitzvos involve corporeal actions. The simple answer is that HKB H fulfilled all of the Mitzvos in a spiritual manner. For, all of the Mitzvos of the Torah possess a simple aspect and interpretation as well as a mystical aspect and interpretation as understood in the heavenly realms. Viewed in this light, we must explain the proof the Yerushalmi brings from the following passuk that HKB H already fulfilled all ושמרו את משמרתי אני ה אני הוא ששימרתי Torah: the Mitzvos of the This implies that HKB H wants us to fulfill מצוותיה של תורה תחילה the Torah s Mitzvos just like He already fulfilled them. Now, if we propose that HKB H fulfilled them only in a spiritual manner, how Chag HaShavuos 5774 3

can He request that we follow His lead and perform them in actual deed? Furthermore, if we say that HKB H fulfilled the Mitzvos on a voluntary basis without being commanded to do so ( eino mitzuveh v oseh ) once again, how can He request that we fulfill the Mitzvos just as He has already done? After all, HKB H requests that we fulfill the Mitzvos on an obligatory basis; we are commanded to do so and we obey the command ( mitzuveh v oseh ). HKB H Fulfilled All of the Mitzvos by Engaging in Torah Study Two Thousand Years before Creation After giving the matter much thought, I would like to propose with reverence and love a novel interpretation of the statement שני אלפים 2): (B.R. 8, in the Yerushalmi. We learn in the Midrash שנה קדמה התורה לברייתו של עולם, הדא הוא דכתיב )משלי ח-ל( ואהיה אצלו אמון ואהיה שעשועים יום יום, ויומו של הקב ה אלף שנים, דכתיב )תהלים צ-ד( כי The Torah predated the creation of the אלף שנים בעיניך כיום אתמול. world by two thousand years. We learn that HKB H already engaged in the delights of the holy Torah well before the world was created. For, the passuk ואהיה שעשועים יום יום משחקת לפניו :(30 expressly states (Mishlei,8 I was then His delight every day, playing before בכל עת Him at all times. Even though this reference is quite explicit, we shall provide additional substantiation from a Midrash (B.R. 1, 1) ואהיה אצלו אמון, Mishlei: elucidating the beginning of this passuk in אומן. התורה אומרת אני הייתי כלי אומנתו של הקב ה... היה הקב ה מביט בתורה ובורא את העולם, והתורה אמרה )בראשית א-א( בראשית ברא אלקים, ואין ראשית The passuk states: I was a nursling beside Him. The אלא תורה. Midrash associates the word אמון with אומנתו,כלי implying that the Torah served as the tools of His trade; HKB H used the Torah as a blueprint to design and create the world. According to this Midrash, HKB H looked at the Torah before the creation of the world. This coincides nicely with the Midrash cited previously which stated that HKB H engaged in Torahstudy two thousand years prior to creation. By examining and contemplating the contents of the Torah, He created the world. בראשית ברא Torah: This is implied by the opening words of the HKB H, ראשית by means of the Torah, referred to as אלקים created השמים ואת הארץ את the heavens and the earth. At this point, it appears that we can propose an incredible chiddush. When the Almighty decided to create the world for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Yisrael, He accepted upon Himself the total obligation to fulfill all of the Mitzvos before the world was ever created. Thus, He joined His children, the people of Yisrael, so that they, too, would accept the obligation to fulfill all of the Mitzvos. As a result of accepting this obligation, HKB H became in effect a mitzuveh one who has been commanded to abide by all the precepts of the Torah. Yet, it was impossible to fulfill all of the Mitzvos in actuality prior to the creation of the physical, material world, since the performance of most of the Mitzvos involve objects and materials created in Olam HaZeh such as mezuzahs, tzitzis, tefillin, the four species and the like. Therefore, HKB H cleverly decided to engage and delight in the Torah two thousand years before the creation of the world. Thus, it was considered as if He fulfilled all of the Mitzvos of the Torah, so to speak in keeping with what we have learned in the Gemara אמר רבי יצחק, מאי דכתיב )ויקרא ו-יח( זאת תורת החטאת, )שם :(110a (Menachot ז-א( וזאת תורת האשם, כל העוסק בתורת חטאת כאילו הקריב חטאת, וכל העוסק בתורת chatas, Anyone who studies the Torah of the אשם כאילו הקריב אשם. it is considered as if he actually brought a chatas-offering; and anyone who studies the Torah of the asham, it is considered as if he actually brought an asham-offering. Furthermore, the commentaries explain that this chiddush is not confined solely to the offering of korbanot ; it applies to all of the 613 taryag Mitzvos. A person who is occupied in the study of the laws of a particular mitzvah is considered as if he actually performed that mitzvah. With this understanding, we can revisit the statement in the ושמרו את משמרתי אני ה, אני הוא ששימרתי מצוותיה של תורה Yerushalmi: I am the one who originally observed the Mitzvos of תחילה the Torah. In other words, by engaging in Torah-study before the world was created, it was considered as if HKB H fulfilled all of the precepts of the Torah. In this manner, HKB H prepared the way for us His children, Yisrael to fulfill all of the Mitzvos of the Torah in actual deed. HKB H Created Yisrael to Complete the Performance of the Mitzvos for Him Continuing onward and upward along this exalted path, we can now clarify the profound insight provided by the Avnei Neizer. He taught us that HKB H commanded us to fulfill all of the Mitzvos as שלוחו של His personal agents in keeping with the principle of himself. a man s agent is equivalent to the man אדם כמותו The Bnei Yissaschar (Rosh Chodesh 3, 7), however, points out an important qualification. While it is true that a person who is obligated to bring a korban chatas and then engages in the study of the laws of the chatas, it is considered as if he actually offered a chatas ; nevertheless, this does not exempt him from actually fulfilling his obligation to bring a korban chatas when the third Beis HaMikdash will be built. Chag HaShavuos 5774 4

He substantiates this point by referring to the Gemara (Shabbas 12b) that describes the mishap involving Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha; he was reading by the light of a lamp on Shabbas and וכתב על פנקסו אני ישמעאל בן אלישע קריתי lamp: accidentally tipped the he wrote in והטיתי נר בשבת, לכשיבנה בית המקדש אביא חטאת שמנה his notebook: I am Yishmael ben Elisha; I read and tipped a lamp on Shabbas. When the Beis HaMikdash will be built, I will bring a fat chatas. This is seemingly difficult. For, we must surely assume that Rabbi Yishmael immediately read over the passage in the Torah dealing with the korban chatas, so that it would be considered as if he had offered a chatas. Despite doing so, he wrote in his notebook that he would bring a fat chatas when the Beis HaMikdash would be built. This proves that even a person who engages in the study of a particular mitzvah must still endeavor to fulfill the mitzvah in actual deed. We can now comprehend the profound insight of the Avnei Neizer. Before the creation of the world, HKB H obligated Himself to fulfill all of the Mitzvos of the Torah in actual deed. At first, He did so by engaging in the study of each mitzvah in the Torah; thus, it was considered as if He had fulfilled all of the Mitzvos. Nevertheless, as explained, it was ultimately necessary for Him to complete the Mitzvos in actual deed. Hence, HKB H commanded Yisrael to actually perform the Mitzvos as his agents. Seeing as a person s agent is considered like the person himself, it would then be considered as if HKB H performed all of the Mitzvos in actual deed. According to this explanation, it turns out that a magnificent partnership exists between HKB H and the people of Yisrael. Initially, before the creation, HKB H fulfilled all of the Torah s Mitzvos by engaging in the study of the entire Torah; this prepared the way for all of Yisrael to follow in His path and fulfill all of the Torah s Mitzvos. Afterwards, He created Yisrael, so that they would complete the task; as His agents, they would fulfill all of the Mitzvos in actual deed. A Good Thought Is Joined with a Deed We can propose that this is the implication of the statement in the Gemara (Kiddushin 40a): טובה מצרפה למעשה. מחשבה The good thought of HKB H, fulfilling all of the Mitzvos מחשבה טובה by engaging in Torah study; למעשה מצרפה is combined with the Mitzvos that Yisrael actually perform in deed. Since they perform all of the Mitzvos in actuality, and they are acting as His agents, it is considered as if HKB H fulfilled these Mitzvos. This provides us with a very nice interpretation of the following רחש לבי 2): statement from Yisrael s sweet psalmist (Tehillim 45, thought; my heart stirs with a good דבר טוב אומר אני מעשי למלך now I utter to a king that which I have created. In other words: Hashem; my heart stirs to fulfill the Mitzvos of רחש לבי דבר טוב Mitzvos, my actions, my performance of the אומר אני מעשי למלך are not attributable to me; they belong to the Supreme King, HKB H. He has already performed all of the Mitzvos in thought and we are completing the task for Him, so to speak, by performing the physical acts of the Mitzvos as His agents. At this point, we can better appreciate the significance of רבונו של עולם angels: Moshe Rabeinu s response to the ministering תורה שאתה נותן לי מה כתיב בה, אנכי ה אלקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים, אמר -- Master of the להן למצרים ירדתם, לפרעה השתעבדתם, תורה למה תהא לכם Universe, what is written in the Torah that You are giving me? I am Hashem, your G-d, who took you out of Eretz Mitzrayim. He addressed them: Did you descend to Mitzrayim? Were you enslaved to Pharaoh? Why should you have the Torah? We questioned the validity of this response seeing as the malachim did not wish to receive the Torah in its physical manifestation; they wished to receive the Torah in its spiritual manifestation. Yet, based on what we have learned, Moshe Rabeinu s response was directly on target. For, there is no reason for them to receive the Torah in a spiritual form, seeing as HKB H Himself had already fulfilled all of the precepts of the Torah in a far superior fashion. He had engaged in Torah study and delighted in the Torah for two thousand years prior to the creation of the world. So, what purpose would be served by handing over the Torah to malachim who would merely fulfill the Mitzvos in a spiritual manner to the extent of their limited abilities, which pale in comparison to those of HKB H? On the other hand, giving the Torah to Yisrael, His holy people, serves a grand purpose. As the agents of HKB H, they perform all of the Mitzvos in actual deed; by doing so, they complete the process, so to speak, for HKB H. For, in this manner, HKB H fulfills all of the Mitzvos both in thought and deed. He created this arrangement whereby Yisrael complete the performance of the Mitzvos on His behalf, so to speak -- because it is His divine desire to have an intimate, permanent bond with Yisrael. Donated by Dr. Ralph and Limor Madeb Lealui neshmat Refael Gavriel Simcha Chaim Ben shulamit To receive the mamarim by email: mamarim@shvileipinchas.com Chag HaShavuos 5774 5